Gardening experts have revealed one thing you should do to prepare your garden for autumn. Landscaping expert Harry Bodell at PriceYourJob.co.uk has revealed what you can do to get your garden ready for colder weather.
He said: “As quickly as summer came, it will turn to autumn, but a drop in temperatures doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your garden. A little preparation and care now will mean a much healthier and prettier garden to spend time in during the cooler months.” One of Bodell’s top tips was to weed thoroughly after the warm summer. He said this is the prime season for weeds to sprout up all over your garden, and “as it is drawing to a close, it is important to remove any that are lingering”. Weeds use up valuable water and nutrients that would otherwise be available to your plants, can choke roots, bring unwanted pests, and cause the area to become congested, leaving it vulnerable to fungus and bacteria.
It is an excellent idea to thoroughly weed your garden beds before autumn hits to prepare for your seasonal plants and maintain the overall health of the garden.
Bodell also urged gardeners to deadhead summer-blooming perennials. This can encourage your plants to produce more flowers, which, in turn, will prolong their bloom time. It is an “essential take” in growing healthier plants with more blooms.
He said to use your fingers to pinch the more tender stems and trim blooms off woody stems with a clean pair of hand shears. Deadheading can massively improve the appearance of your garden and encourage plants to redirect their energy to new growth.
Another crucial task is removing spent annuals. Once these plants have finished blooming, you can remove them from your garden to make room for autumn flowering annuals.
Removing these plants will increase the airflow in your garden and eliminate any dying foliage that may be playing host to fungus or garden pests. If you plan to add them to your compost pile, ensure that you do a thorough check for pests and diseases.
The gardening expert said this is also a great time to improve soil health by adding organic fertiliser. While chemical fertilisers can feed plants quickly during the growing season, organic ones will break down and enrich the soil over time.
By adding organic matter to your garden at the end of summer, nutrients will have all of autumn and winter to break down, enriching the soil for spring.